About Malia

Malia Cohen is running to represent District 2 on the California State Board of Equalization to put people's interests before special interests. As a San Francisco Supervisor, Malia has fought to even the playing field. She’s taken on special interest groups like Big Tobacco, Big Soda, Big Oil -- and won. She’s running to bring that same fight to the Board of Equalization to make sure our tax dollars are well-spent.

Malia has been a fearless advocate for working people throughout her career. As Supervisor, Malia championed the $15 minimum wage, invested in affordable housing, fought for reproductive rights and women’s safety, and successfully advocated to provide children with healthcare.

Last year, she took on Big Soda and passed the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, generating over $14 million in San Francisco, and paving the way for soda tax initiatives across the country.

Later, she took on Big Tobacco, passing legislation to ban flavored tobacco products in San Francisco as they disproportionately advertised to youth, people of color, low-income communities and LGBTQ individuals.

Malia has the strong financial background necessary to be an effective voice on the Board of Equalization.

Served as Chair of the Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Finance Committee, which oversees taxes, fees, and other revenue measures, redevelopment, and real estate.

Served as the immediate past President of the San Francisco Employee Retirement System (SFERS), which manages a $20 billion pension fund. Here, she led efforts to divest from fossil fuels and thermal coal investments, and moved $100 million into a fossil fuel-free index fund.

Fiduciary member of the San Francisco Transportation Authority, overseeing $100 million sales tax annually for transportation investments in the County.

Now, Malia seeks to bring her strong track record and years of experience to the Board of Equalization to be the leader that District 2 needs in a critical time of reform.